Guest blogger: Jim

(Editor’s note: Jim pointed out that there are multiple Jims who post on the blog. The best way to ID him, then, would be that he’s Jim, the Rangers fan from the Toronto area … and as if to prove it he spelled endeavor with a ‘u’.)

In the spirit of most of your blogs (and Lowell’s recently), here are some of my random thoughts:

1) Is it just me or should we be at least a tad concerned about the Rangers organizational depth? This time last year, it seemed like the backline was overflowing, but with Michael Sauer’s career in jeopardy and the perpetual shorting of the defensive bench throughout the entire playoffs, that area is suddenly somewhat of a question mark. The two primary defensive prospects aren’t guarantees – Tim Erixon showed last year he wasn’t ready for primetime and like it or not, Dylan McIlrath is a project (with a new concern being his health – add to his current dislocated knee a concussion and other knee injury suffered through the ’11-12 season, that’s three non-minor problems he’s had in less than 12 months). After JT Miller, on the forward lines is there a legitimate prospect? Christian Thomas looked like a sure thing this time last summer, but after an up and down final junior season (more down than up), there now should be valid question marks – alas, his size is a significant concern. After that, who’s there? Looks to me like more bottom six prospects.

2) Count me as Rick Nash admirer and one who believes without a doubt he would have been a tremendous addition to the Rangers lineup. That said, I get the concern about giving up too much to get him, especially with the aforementioned concern about organizational depth (so I’m relieved that Glen Sather appears to be unwilling to overpay). BTW, for those not sure about his skill set, just watch that video of his end-to-end goal against the Coyotes. And as you do, try to remember he’s 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds. …

3) BTW, perhaps the hold-up on a possible Nash move isn’t the bounty Howson is allegedly demanding, but the fact that Sather is demanding more than Nash (because that bounty is so high). From what I’ve learned about trades of this magnitude, oftentimes it’s the ‘throw-ins’ that delays a deal actually getting completed. Managers frequently agreed quite readily on the principle players, but go back and forth for weeks and sometimes months over the lesser valued players. For example, if Howson is demanding Derek Stepan be included in the Rangers package, could Sather be countering with a request for Derrick Brassard? If so, perhaps Howson then says ‘Fine, but I want Carl Hagelin included, too.’ And so on and so on. …

4) Isn’t it time for Artem Anisimov to decide whether he’s a top six or bottom six forward? This fall will see the 24-year-old begin his fourth NHL season – time to decide what you want to be for the rest of your career AA.

5) IMO, there will be NHL hockey this season. In 2004, many teams stripped down to the bare-bones (including the Rangers) which was clearly an indication the owners had already spent countless hours discussing their collective position and the financial state of game. They were determined to reign in the free spending teams and narrow as significantly as possible the huge gap between the haves and have-nots. This time around, nothing remotely close to this has taken place (in fact, given the contracts handed out to Ryan Suter and Zach Parise, it’s almost the opposite). Furthermore, both the owners and NHLPA surely must recognize that another lost season could seriously harm many teams, especially Gary Bettman’s sunbelt ditties.

6) Speaking of sunbelt teams, well-placed sources indicate up to half of the league loses money annually and at least a half dozen teams are in serious financial jeopardy, led of course, by the Phoenix Coyotes and followed closely by the New Jersey Devils. This despite Gary Bettman’s often bullying and very lawyer-skewed verbal antics he inevitably resorts to when endeavouring to hide the nasty truth.

7) Is Brandon Dubinsky a top six or bottom six forward? Not sure, but one thing is: He’s drawing a paycheque to be the former. …

8) Enjoy Ryan Callahan while you can – it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when he’ll be spending more time in the infirmary than he is plastering defensemen against the boards and throwing his body recklessly in front of 100+ MPH slapshots.

9) Who will receive legitimate Norris Trophy consideration first? Ryan McDonagh or Marc Staal? My money’s on Staal, but what a wonderful debate to be able to have!

10) My jury is still out on Glen Sather. It’s tough to argue against his performance since the lockout, but it’s equally difficult to forget the ridiculous and embarrassing mess he made of the Rangers prior to this refreshing stretch. He drove the franchise so low, not only was it the laughing stock of the NHL, but of North American professional sports in general – I’ve been a fan for a very VERY long time and as such have endured some very dark times, but his pathetic tenure from 2000 to 2004 for me is inky black. His best move appears to be anointing Gordie Clark as the team’s draft guru.

11) Isn’t it time a legitimate goalie prospect was brought into the organization? I figured one would be selected early in this past amateur draft, but that didn’t happen. We shouldn’t forget that while the King is indeed, the King, he’s not 26 years old anymore, either.

84 Comments

Who ever heard of a sports GM (especially in NY) who is so reclusive that he might not really exist, or might have actually died five years ago? Only under Dolan could something like this be possible. It’s like rooting for a North Korean Hockey team run by some ethereal spirit in a lillypad appointed by Kim Jong-un.

On number 1. I think most of the NHL experts think quite opposite- NY has one of the deepest organizations prospect-wise. On defense- top 4 is set for years, regardless whether Sauer comes back. And you said as much in your point #9. We are talking 3rd pair, depth type of players. Erixon is projected to be higher than that, and they just drafted another solid prospect. I doubt McIlrath will be worse than third pair D-man.
Forwards- they seem to have a good amount of NHL- projected kids, and their current core is still very young. Sometimes your depth is measured by how many kids will play on NHL level. They don’t have anyone projected to be an elite goalscorer

I disagree about the reason why the rangers haven’t traded for Nash yet, it’s not because of other pieces, there is no other pieces. Howson wants stepan, Sather will not trade Stepan and for good reasons. That’s why Nash isn’t on the rangers.

ilb,
I think the point about forward depth is about this upcoming season. maybe Miller is ready to step in, maybe. maybe Thomas can help at some point, maybe. after that, who? there are no forward prospects ready to help this season. most D prospects are also a couple of years away. Erixon is really the only one thought close to being ready.

Re: Sather. While the team is now not only making the playoffs, but advancing past the first round, let’s not anoint him for a statue at MSG. Keep in mind that he was still behind the acquistion of Gomez, Drury, Redden, Kalinin, Kotalik, Zherdev, Frolov, Wolski, Christensen, etc.

Yeah, he turned Gomez into McDonagh, but also remember that his primary target in that trade was Higgins! So, is he the rejuvenated GM or is he the blind squirrel?

BTW, lest we forget in all the noise the Weber signing created, don’t forget that if the Preds don’t match, the Flyers top 4 d-men will be Weber, Timmon, Coburn and Schenn. A pairing of Weber and Schenn will be scary – both are big and physical.

I strongly suspect Schenn will thrive in Philly and us Ranger fans are going to loath him…

Another in a long line of negatively spun articles that seem to dominate the internets. Is it because we have had so many ‘black swannish’ type events over a 10year span or so? Or is the brain an infantile? I think the brains are an infantiles, but please pardon my inglish as this huesohead is originally from Argentina.

Ad the difference between me and you carp, is that if this team came out and looked great, i would be the first one to eat my words and say i was wrong about turderella, and be happy i was wrong. You,n the other hand, refuse to even acknowledge that there is a potential Ranger disaster here, and that the clueless coach “in charge” might be implicit in what is happening, or more accurately what is not happening.

You are right about things changing when Slats hired Gordie Clark because that’s when our fortunes started to change. Slats needs a lot of help because he isn’t very smart, so before he makes a trade he’s got Clark & Gorton to make sure he doesn’t do something stupid like he did in the beginning when he tried to manage things on his own.

Slightly revisionist history to crucify anyone for Sanguinetti over Giroux anyway, since he was ranked much higher than Giroux (as were plenty of other what turned out to be much inferior players) at the time.

Sanguinetti will be the best D man in the NHL next year. That is until he’s traded back to NYC and Torts destroys his career. At least Sanguinetti will have Avery to help him through the process. They can talk things out over a slice of pizza at Drury’s place.

9. Quite a predicament. I am thinking MacD gets there first and only if either do. But we do have a few good ‘d’ men for sure. We could use a couple more that our coach could play every shift, whomever they may be.

10. Boingo!! Nail on the head. Ya shouldn’t have gotten me started here again, right Olga??

Does the Mayor of NYC have a ‘Deputy Mayor’ that does his job FOR him, or is it the Mayor (you know, the guy with the title and the ultimate of responsibility) that does the job??? Why, oh why does Slather get afforded the luxury of being surrounded by people like Gord Clark, et.al., who were brought in BECAUSE the actual GM who should be doing these things, has made dozens of mistakes????

Why not just fire him and put together a crew of people that understand the game WITHOUT HIM? It would save Dolan a lot of bucks.